Mummum's 2015

This year was another roller coaster ride with Tomtom. So many things happened! So many FIRST things...

The year started with my dhamaka birthday celebration with family and friends.

My Birthday Celebration

One of the most important things that happened for Tomtom is her first stay over at my cousin's place in Mohammadpur in February. She is buddies with his two kids - Nishat and Afif. Everyone was concerned about how she would survive the single night without us. Surprisingly I was totally tension-free as I wholeheartedly trusted my cousin's wife to be a a fantastic caregiver and Tomtom to be a self-reliant kid. We dropped her on Thursday afternoon and picked her up the next evening, and the stay over went fantastic for her!

Pori, Nishat & Afif at play

Another important thing that initiated in Tomtom's life was her first piano lesson in February. Shimul Sir took the responsibility of teaching her and we (the enthusiastic parents) were really excited about her music lessons. It was actually her interest to get introduced to piano. So far she has been alright with the weekly lessons. But she tends to practice less when at home.

First Piano Lesson on26th February 2015

We celebrated the Bangla New Year in Kapashia with 3 other families with kids (mostly boys). The day went really well with home cooked food, boat ride on Shithalakkhya river, a stop over in a small island and a village fair. 

Bangla New Year in Kapashia

I ensured that she went out with other kids and just didn't spend all her time on computer/tab at home. Luckily I have colleagues who have kids close to her age. We explored a new place in Uttara - Fantasy Island.

Fantasy Island Trip on 27th April 2015

Tomtom bonded well with my cousin's daughters - Unaiza and Jumeirah. We went to Cox's Bazar in April with the kids and she was really upset when leaving them. Funny thing is Tomtom thought Cox's Bazar is also a foreign land like Nepal.

I planned a trip to Babylon Resort in Gazipur with my best friend Arpita to celebrate her birthday in May. The two families had fun at the outing. The two girls played with scooty, and ball, made friends with the local children. Tomtom couldn't forget the boy Salman who played vigorously with them and helped rescue the ball from the pond.  

Raj's birthday was celebrated in a different manner this time. We did something that Tomtom likes - we went swimming in a nearby country club.

Tomtom was excited about joining the summer camp at Euro Kids this year after the engaging experience last year. During the week long sessions at the camp, she returned home with a desire to experiment - using magnet, or ice, putting a seed in a pot to see it grow . . . This time she performed two songs on stage in group. She was much appreciated for her behavior and performance.

Summer Camp Closing Ceremony on 19th July 2015

The most awaited family tour abroad happened this year when the three of us went to Thailand for a ten day long trip during the Eid vacation in July. Tomtom took her diary there and wrote entries at night at the hotel room. She was accommodating and pleasant except for the trouble she gave us with the food. The thing she most enjoyed during the trip was feeding the animals on different occasions.

In Koh Samui Island

We had more family outing too.

Fantasy Kingdom Trip on 21st August 2015

One of the developmental milestones for her happened in 2015 - she started sleeping alone! We prepared her pink room with her wardrobe, a little bed, reading table and the desktop, and she happily switched there. She developed a few relationships on her own. She made new friends at school and because of her persistence I got acquainted with few families. I noticed how other parents are more keen on study issues and schooling and I was not. I think it's important not to pressurize with studies as long as she is responsible enough to finish her homework by herself and scoring well in tests and class performance. I heard from my student that she was a go between for one girl in her class who proposed one of her friends. I kept mum about it until she was the one who talked about the issue. I guess this is also a natural growing up thing for students in a co-ed. 

  

With Labiba & Rakiba

Our Sylhet tour in September was an adventurous one - we went hiking on the border area, boat riding in Lala Khal and Ratar Gul. Tomtom was scared stiff about bugs around her but survived well.

Sylhet Tour

Regular hang outs with families with kids continued. We went to a resort called Arannyabash in Gazipur. Tomtom and other kids had total fun with soiling their hands, fishing in the pond, playing in the field under the sun . . .

Aranyabash

This is the first time that I was not present on her birthday due to my 26-day official visit to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. I noticed how she adapted to my long absence by being involved in other things and occupying herself until towards the end when she had a fever to make her nagging. But I have to admit that my daughter is a brave girl! She made a paper banner for her birthday. Her Papa planned everything meticulously and she had a rocking time with her friends. After I had returned, she said that I shouldn't leave her like that anymore and I am important than all the playthings that she got. She grew matured when I was away! The maturity was evident as she lost her first tooth too.

Two Nabihas beside her at her birthday party

Toothfall on 9th November 2015

She is talented with drawing, making things with objects, imagining situations and playing the role. I am happy with her reading skill too.

Her Editing

The year ended with the usual Christmas Party on the rooftop of Hotel Regency but this time she questioned why Santa did not give her any gift and compared it with her friends' paid parties. We went to the Dream Holiday Park in Narshingdi the next day of Christmas for a day-long outing with her friend Labiba's family. The day was full of activity with running around the huge place, with plenty of rides and a very late lunch.

The year went amazingly well. And I hope 2016 will show me more developments as Tomtom grows up. I am happy how she bonds well with new people, kids, how she emotionally relies on her parents, how technologically-savvy she is, how enthusiastically she plays with make believe stuff, how logical she is in her thinking, how she uses and understands humor. I will concentrate a bit more on her Bangla learning this year as I dream of developing her reading habit like me.